Caring for orphans and widows is a profound biblical principle that reflects God’s heart for the vulnerable and marginalized in society. Throughout the Scriptures, we find numerous verses that emphasize the importance of compassion, justice, and support for those who are most in need. These verses serve not only as a call to action but also as a reminder of God’s unwavering care for all His children.
In a world where many face loneliness and hardship, the challenge to care for orphans and widows is more crucial than ever. The following collection of 30 Bible verses highlights God’s desire for us to stand up for the helpless and to ensure that the least among us are not forgotten. Let these scriptures inspire and guide us to express love and kindness to those who are often neglected.
You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.
He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.
And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied.
You shall not pervert the justice due the stranger or the fatherless, nor take a widow’s garment as a pledge.
When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
Because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper.
But You have seen, for You observe trouble and grief, to repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.
A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.
Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Learn to do good; seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.
Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by oppression, and have forgotten Me, says the Lord GOD.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
Honor widows who are really widows.
If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.
The LORD will destroy the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow.
Do not remove the ancient landmark, nor enter the fields of the fatherless.
Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.
Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
But Ruth said: Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.
Now a poor widow came and threw in two mites, which makes a quadrans.
The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; but the way of the wicked He turns upside down.
Famous and Strong Quotes about care for orphans and widows
There are people who have never known the joy of a warm meal in their belly and the comfort of a roof over their head; we must care for them.
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced; we must face the plight of orphans and widows.
If you want to change the world, go home and love your family; this includes the orphan and the widow.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere; we must advocate for orphans and widows who suffer in silence.
The measure of a civilization is how it treats its most vulnerable; orphans and widows should never be neglected.
Heartfelt Prayer for Orphans and Widows
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come before You with humble hearts, seeking Your guidance and mercy for the orphans and widows in our communities and around the world. Lord, You are a Father to the fatherless and a defender of the widows. We ask that You wrap Your loving arms around those who feel alone and vulnerable.
Grant us the wisdom and compassion to care for them, to provide for their needs, and to uplift their spirits. Help us to be Your hands and feet, extending generosity and kindness, showing them the fullness of Your love.
May we create safe havens for orphans and widows, offering them hope and a sense of belonging. Stir in our hearts the desire to advocate for justice, protection, and support, so that they may know they are treasured in Your sight.
We pray for the strength and resilience of those who have lost loved ones or who navigate life without family. Surround them with understanding and companionship, so they may feel Your presence through the kindness of others.
Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayer and for equipping us to serve. May our actions reflect Your heart for the marginalized, and may we always be channels of Your peace and love.
In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.